How to Choose Fresh Raw Food Dogs Love

When buying meats, fruits and vegetables, it is important to know how to tell if they’re fresh and of good quality. If you’re not sure how to go about this, one book you can check out is “Going Rawr! Dog Lover’s Compendium”. This book talks about the things you’ll need in order to successfully implement the raw dog food diet in a simple and organized way.

Here are just some of the tips I got from the book, which really helps you choose meats and other raw food dogs will definitely love and enjoy.
When buying beef:

  1. When buying beef that’s been frozen and packaged, make sure that there is no liquid inside the pack. Liquid inside the pack, even if it’s the color of blood, indicates moisture. This is a sign that the meat has been in room temperature for quite some time.
  2. Beef, at room temperature, should be bright red, without any dark or grayish spots on it.
  3. Beef, at room temperature, should not have any foul smell.
  4. Be familiar with the various cuts of beef that are available. Some cuts are more expensive than others and knowing which cuts are suitable for your dog will allow you to make the right choices and save on costs.

When buying pork:

  1. Pork that’s fresh is pinking to grayish in color.
  2. Various cuts of pork have various amounts of fat surrounding it. Become familiar with the various cuts of pork so you can choose parts that are leaner and less expensive.
  3. Check to make sure there is no foul smell emanating from the meat.

When buying poultry:

  1. Buy poultry that has been inspected and is human grade.
  2. Watch out for moisture in frozen, packaged poultry. This could indicate that the poultry has been left in room temperature for some time before it was frozen.
  3. Choose poultry that is labeled free-farmed and avoid those that are labeled free-roaming. Free-farmed means that the chicken was given free access to food and drink when it was being raised and that it was raised in a controlled environment. Free-roaming chicken on the other hand means that it was allowed to roam freely in the open, which makes it vulnerable to parasites.
  4. Choose organic poultry as much as possible. Organic means that no artificial hormones or antibiotics were given to the chicken while it was being raised.
  5. When buying meats, make poultry the last on your list. Poultry carries the highest risk for carrying bacteria. Buying it just when you’re about to head home will ensure that it doesn’t thaw out on your way home.

When buying fruits and vegetables:

  1. Buy fruits that are in season. This will allow you to have variety in your dog’s diet and save on money, too.
  2. Most fruits and vegetables cannot be stored for long periods of time, so these are best served within a few days of purchase.
  3. Buy organic. This means that no artificial pesticides were used in growing the produce, making it safer to be eaten raw.

As you can probably tell, switching your dog to a raw food diet isn’t as simple as just throwing him a bone. It takes a bit of planning and a little research to make sure you do it properly. Raw food is particularly susceptible to contamination, so knowing how to choose fresh food, how to store and serve them properly can help make sure your dog truly gets the best out of this diet.